Ukraine’s dismissed defence minister calls for wartime presidential election

<p>Mykhailo Fedorov’s appeal is most direct challenge to Volodymyr Zelenskyy since Russian invasion in 2022</p><p>Ukraine’s recently <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/15/volodymyr-zelenskyy-dismisses-ukraines-popular-defence-minister">dismissed former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov</a> has called for a wartime presidential election in the most direct political challenge to Volodymyr Zelenskyy since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.</p><p>The politician, whose <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/22/volodymyr-zelenskyy-pressure-reinstate-sacked-defence-minister-mykhailo-fedorov">abrupt sacking last month triggered a wave of protests</a>, said that Ukraine had to “restore a full democratic process even amid a prolonged war” in a video address released online late on Tuesday evening.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/18/ukraines-dismissed-defence-minister-calls-for-wartime-presidential-election">Continue reading...</a>